Brownville Hotel
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 of native limestone, the Brownville Hotel is a three-story square block under a hip roof at the crossroads of Brown Boulevard and West Main Street in Brownville. Its walls are broken-faced coursed ashlar, with double-hung sash windows set under stone lintels and above stone sills. Interior chimneys are placed symmetrically on the north and south elevations, and a gabled porch shelters the east entrance facing Brown Boulevard. A former entrance on the Main Street side has been closed. The building was listed as part of a group of five limestone structures that show early nineteenth-century building practice in the St. Lawrence region. It is considered an uncommon survivor of the plain commercial stone buildings once common in the area, and its long continuity of use and prominent corner position make it a local visual landmark. The description records that it has been converted to apartments and is in poor condition and in need of repair.
Significance in brief: The hotel is described as an uncommon surviving example of the vernacular commercial stone buildings once common in the region. It was a conspicuous local landmark at the village crossroads, and its long continuity of use adds to its local significance. It is one of the few substantially unaltered limestone structures in the village and reflects St. Lawrence region limestone building practice.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80002625, listed November 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Brown Blvd. and W. Main St., Brownville |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | November 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002625 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular commercial stone building |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Description says it has been converted into apartments, is privately owned, and is in poor condition needing repair; the significance section says it continues in its original commercial use. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 44.00288, -75.98352 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80002625.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4976827
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.